I'm a big fan of Juliet Blackwell (Witchcraft Mystery and Haunted Home Renovation Mystery series), so when I found out she was half of the Hailey Lind writing team, I had to read FEINT OF ART. Hailey Lind's other half is Juliet's sister Carolyn J. Lawes, a professor of history.

FEINT OF ART kicks off the Art Lover's Mystery series, and introduces readers to main character Annie Kincaid. Annie spent her teenage years forging artistic masterpieces with her grandfather in Europe. But after a run in with the law, Annie decided to give up that life. Now, she runs a struggling yet respectable faux finishing company in San Francisco. However, her extensive knowledge of the forgery business is about to get her in trouble again.

Annie gets wrapped up in a murder mystery when her ex-boyfriend, the curator at the Brock Museum, asks her to determine if the new Caravaggio painting is a fake. Yep, it is, and Annie knows who painted the forgery. That same night, a museum janitor is murdered and her ex disappears. In addition to that, an art dealer approaches Annie about tracking down some priceless Old Master drawings that were stolen and forged, leading to more murder and mayhem.

I had mixed feelings about this book. It was quite interesting, yet kind of confusing at the same time. There were a lot of players in this book and a lot going on. It was hard to keep everyone straight. The cast of characters was intriguing, but there were just too many involved in some way. I liked Annie's character pretty well, though she was a little flighty at times and made some silly moves.

On the other hand, I loved taking a look at the underworld of art forgery. Fascinating! It's clear the authors did their research. Some of the tidbits presented - well, I had no idea!

Though somewhat chaotic, FEINT OF ART was an entertaining cozy mystery, and I will continue with the next book. I'm pleased that my local library carries the series. I think the paperbacks are out-of-print at this point. ( )

The heroine, Annie Kincaid, is very likable and entertaining. The plot is done well and has a twist that is unexpected.

The writing is good and Annie seems better motivated to investigate and be involved than many mystery main characters. The two men as the potential romantic interests are polar opposites and will keep readers cheering for one or the other. Enjoyable mystery all the way around. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. ( )

(Nominated for Agatha Award for Best First Novel)At age 31, Annie Kincaid is a veteran art-forger (now retired and going legit) and small business owner (of True/Faux Studios in San Francisco) and single. In Feint of Art, she’s doing a favor for her ex-boyfriend, Ernst Pettigrew, curator of the Brock Museum. He invites Annie, who can spot artistic fakes at a glance and usually tell who the faker is, to see the painting after-hours and determine whether the Caravaggio painting the Brock just bought for a cool $15 million is a fake. It is. In fact, she recognizes the artist as an old friend of Annie’s grandfather, another art forger.

The next morning, Annie learns that the Brock’s janitor, who walked her out of the museum the evening before, has been murdered and that Ernst is missing. Deciding the murder might have something to do with the fake Caravaggio, Annie decides to visit the forger, Anton Woznikowicz. He’s flown the coop and while examining his unlocked apartment, Annie bumps into a handsome private eye, who seems to be on the same trail she is. Together, they’re on a wild ride for the next 250 pages or so. But she has another handsome man in her life – her new landlord, right out of GQ, who wants to double her rent – which will effectively put her out of business.

Annie Kincaid is a wonderful cozy heroine. She compares herself to her apartment, which is on the top floor of a Victorian mansion: “a bit quirky, occasionally contrary, but with lots of character … a good foundation but needed some aesthetic work.” The writing in Feint of Art is breezy and the story hangs together very nicely, with lots of humorous dialogue and situations. The body count is a bit high for a cozy and the budding friendship between Annie and a female police detective is highly improbable, but those are minor concerns – it’s still a rollicking good read.

By Diana. First published in Mystery News, April-May 2006 edition. ( )

Wikipedia in English

The first in a new mystery series starring art-forger-Gone-good Annie Kincaid

Annie breaks the news to her curator ex-boyfriend Ernst: his museum's new $15 million Caravaggio is a fake. Then the janitor is killed, Ernst disappears, and a dealer makes off with several Old Master drawings. If she breaks the case using her old connections, Annie can finally pay the rent. But doing so could also draw her back into the underworld of forgers she swore she'd left behind.